Animal feeding method



Feb. 6, 1940. A. A. Mac DO NELL 2,189,213

ANIMAL FEEDING METHOD Filed Aug. 9, 1938 V2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIE E ATTORNEYS.

FIE 'l Feb. 6, 1940. A. A. M DONELL ANIMAL FEEDING METHOD 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 9, 1958 INVENIUR. fluaexm 4, Malayan/51.1. BY

QM ATTORNEYS.

Patented'FeB. e, 1940 i UNITED STATES ?ATENT ,OFFICE I r I 2,139,513 i1;

ANIMAL FEEDING THOD Alberta A. MacDonell, San Franci sco, Cali 1. i Application August 9,1938, seria 'nogazascs 1.0mm (01. 119-56 E -This,invention relatesjto an animal. feeder, and has for-its objects a simple, reliable device for automatically dispensing at a predetermined time or timesdog or cat food or the like,either from.

the can, where canned food is used, or from. a

container for the food, and which device is easy I to clean, safe, and cannotbe accidentally actuated by the animaL'and is economical tomanufacture. Other objects and advantages will ap- 10 pear in the specification and drawings annexed hereto. I 'In the drawings, Fig. l is a horizontal sectional view of my invention taken along line I,-l of Fig. 2, with part of. the cover brokenaway to expose 15 certain-elements. r l

.. Fig.2 is a sectional view of the invention as seen from line 2-2 of Fig. 1. 1 r r 3 is a sectionalview of the invention as seen from line 3-3 of Fig. 1. i

2 Fig; 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view, partly in section, as seen from line 5-4 of Fig.1.

-Fig. 5 is a perspectiveview o f one of the open-.

ended cylindersthat maybe used for containing the food tobe dispensed. n c Q 5 Fig. 6 's asectional view of one of the cover latches taken along line 6 -6 of Fig. 1. -Briefly described, my invention comprises a device for automaticallyfeeding ananimal, such as a dog or cat, at a predetermined time or;times,

.30 whereby the animal will be properly fed in the owners absence. f

r The average size dog .requires one, feedingof about one pound of prepared dog food once every twenty -four hours, and for a smaller dog, or cat, 5 about one-half pound is suflicient. Since dog and cat food, whether prepared-by the ownen or whether obtained n cans in a prepared state, contains a certain amount of moisture andgis relatively sticky, ordinary methods of ejecting $40 the food froma'container are impractical or un reliable. 50, 1 haveiound that too rapidan ejectionof the food tends to frighten some ani-- mals, causing them to hesitate approaching the food until long after the foodhas been ejected,

5 while any device With exposed mechanism driven by positive poweris many'times dangerousto the animal, since its unexpected operation may bruise or cut an inquisitive animal. Also in a dogand cat feeding, device, wherefood is held from] 5 twenty-tom to.forty-eight hours, it is necessary that the food be substantially-fully enclosed unv "the plane in which'the axes of the openings 9 til ejected to preventspoilage and excessive drying. r

My invention, hereinafter described in detail,

55 incorporates the desired advantages ot a feed J vides for automatically dispensing prepared dog number of feedings and time intervals may be increased or decreased as desired without departvided with a top I, opposed lateral sides}, and f tion dis supported on flanges 5 that areformed around the upper edges of the vertical-walls 6 position outwardly of, or at leastfpartially. out- Wardly of, .saidchamber and onto a pan 8 that which is used,

which ends extend. throughthe partition and 55 I l ing device of the character described above,- and overcomes the difficulties noted. Said device proand catfood; either'directly from the can in which: commercially prepared food is obtained, or from 5; areceptacle of the same shape. l Provision. is 7 made for a first feeding operationat any, desired time up to about twenty-four hoursgand'a subsequent feeding about twenty-four hours there-J after. From thedisclosure it is obvious that the 1!) ing from the invention.

In detail, theembodiment of theinvention as disclose dlin the drawings consistsof a cover profront side- 2 and rear side 2" l The lower side of the cover is open and the lower edges'of the ides" are supported just within upstandingfianges 3 formed on a horizontal partition 4. Saidparti of a" supporting base ,member, which ,wallsat their lower edgesniay be provided with flanges I r T for bolting" to the floor or any desired support g5 ing surface. Thelside of thebase. member below the forward side 2. of thezcover is open and the area below the partition 4 is the ieeding chamber into which thefood is dispensedand which food is accessibleto the dog or cat through the 39 open side, although, as will hereinafter be, de-U'f scribed, thetfood will normally be directed to a extends at one end into; said chamber, and which pan issuppotedon the surface thatsupports wallsl'fi, r 1 d The partitionitself is formed adjacentthe fora ward side of the, cover with a pair of circular openings 9, in side by s de relation, th'eupper edge 4c of each of whichcopemngs is rabbeted to provide an annular, upwardly facing, supporting shoulder ii] for the lower edge of an ordinary,'standard diameter, cylindrical, 1 lb. can ll of dog food, or a cylinder '12 .(Fig. 5) ,-as desired. J'Ih e vertical sides of the openings extending upwardly from the shoulders w insur'es} axial centering of the cans-over the. openings andagainst lateral. shifting of the cans ll or cylinders 12, according to Adjacent each of the sides {of the'cover and The lower ends of posts'l3 are of reduced diameter are disposed I provide] a vertical post l3.

flanges and are threaded to receive nuts M below the partition for bolting the posts to the partition and for supporting the posts vertical and rigid relative to said partition.

From partition 4% the posts l3 extend upwardly,

and are of uniform diameter to a point about level with the upper edges of the cans H, and above said point they areof reduced diameter, to their upper ends, which upper ends terminate in threaded'portions below the top I.

A flat cross bar it extends across the cansand across their central axes, the opposite ends of which bar from the posts when the nuts are removed.

The bar l'5'is also provided with vertical openings it, respectively in vertical axial alignment with the openings 9, and a solid, vertical, cylin- .drical'rod l9 extends relatively loosely through each of said openings l8. 7

Each of the rods i9 is provided at its lower end with a relatively heavy, horizontal, circular disk l9 that is adaptedto freely enter the upper open end'of' can if for resting on "and substantially covering the food Ell within'each can, and the upper end of each rod l9 extends upwardly through an opening 2! in top I of the cover. The uppermost end of each rod illis provided with a relatively heavy cylindrical handle 22 of larger diameter than the rod I9, and openings 21 are of sufficient diameter to pass freely over said handles; Rods IE3 with disks it are virtually plungers. v

Below partition 4 are hinged at 24 (Fig. 3) for' swinging downwardly 'from their forward edges adjacent the open side ofthe feeding compartment to the inclined dotted position indicated in Fig. 3, which doors are supported in said inclined positions by a'partition 25 that extends across the feeding compartment.

, latches by a support 32" The doors 23, 23' are normally held in a horizontal position substantially against the lower side of partition i, and covering the openings 9, by short cylindrical lugs 26, 25' projecting upwardly from the upper side of each door. Openings 21 in the'partition permitsaid lugs to pass up'wardlythrough the partition when the doors are in opening covering position over openings ,8, and the upwardly projecting ends of said lugs 25 are each slotted along one side as at 28, 28 for receiving in each slot anedge of separate latches 29, 29' respectively vertically pivoted at for-swinging of the latches out of the slots, and to thereby permit the doors 23, 23 to drop. I

The latches Z9, 29" extend convergently from lugs 26, 265, but are spaced apart at their ends remote from the lugs, and said ends are elevated above the partition 4 whiletheends of the latches adapted 'to enter said slots or notches 2B, 28', are yieldably urged .into slot engaging position by a flat spring 3| held between the a position with the ends of the. spring under tension against the adjacent sides of the respective latches.

are formed with openings is adapted. to relatively loosely receive the reduced diameter be actuated in succession .post 33. (Fig. 4), which is when the bar is in its lower l of latches and below openings 9, are trap doors 23, 23 that intermediate its ends in .One end of spring 31 engages the the partition will prevent the ends of the latches from moving across the openings 2!- forsaid lugs.

The outer ends of said latches are adapted to by means of a short mounted on the outer end of a block 34,.the inner end of said block being slidably secured on a horizontally extending rod 35 for sliding longitudinally of said rod. The rod 35 is secured at its ends in brackets I 36 that are secured to partition 4, and said rod is spaced horizontally from, but extends across the outer ends of latches 29, 29' so that upon movement of the post 33 with said block along said rod 35, the post willengage the outer ends 29, 29' in succession and'will release the latches from thelugs 2t, 26' to permit the doors 21-3, '23 to successively drop.

The movement of said block 34, and the post 33 secured thereto, is effected by an externally, threaded shaft 3] that extends parallel with the rod 35, and which shaft is disposed between the rod and the latches 29, 29'. The underside of block 34 is formed with a threaded, semicylindrical, downwardly facing recess that fits over the shaft 3'], with the threads of the recess engaging the threads of the shaft, and the end of block 34 over post 33, is provided with a weighted handle 38,-which'handle, together with the weight of the block, firmly holds the threads on the block in firm engagement with the threads on the shaft, but'upon lifting on the handle, the block will pivoton' rod 35 to a position with the threads disengaged, and the block may then be slid horizontally along rod 35 to any desired position for re-engaging the threads at the desired point. g

The shaft 35 is rotatably supported at its ends by brackets 36, anda spur gear 39 (Fig. 1) is secured on one endfof said shaft, which gear is in mesh with the drive'gear 40 of a spring or synchronous electric motor 4|.

The rate of rotation of shaft 3? by the drive gear is such that the block 34, commencing from 'a' position nearest the gear 39, will be carried to latch 29 in twenty-four hours, when post 33 will engage the outer end of the latch and release trap door 23 and twenty-four hours more will elapse before post 33 engages the outer end of latch 29-" to release trap door 23.

The outer en'd of latch 29 terminates in a position whereby the post 33will slide past the end of the latch after the latch is moved thereby to release the door 23, but the outer end of latch 29' is elevated'a distance greater than the outer end of latch 23, so that the post latch but will jacent latch 29 and since the side of latch 29 that engages the post 33 extends obliquely to the path of travel of said post, after the latch 29' has released door 23, the continued movement of the block by shaft 3'! will automatically cause the block to pivot upwardly on rod 35 and to disengage the threads of the block from the shaft, thus the motor ll may run indefinitely thereafter without moving the block. Of course a switch may be actuated by the block to stop a synchronous motor, if desired, but for general use, the means shown is the most simple and is positive, and is most readily adapted to any type of motive power irrespective of whether a spring or electricity is used.

Upon trap door 23 being released, as above described, the food 20 within the can is slowly and positively forced out of the can or cylinder 2, as the case may be, by the gravitational force of the weighted plunger i9. Upon the food dropping from the can, it will strike the inclined door and will be deflected into the portion of pan 8 that is outwardly of the compartment directly below the opening 9. The same action occurs when door 23' is released.

The length of rod i9 is such that the lower surface of disk Iii is substantially flush with the lowermost end of the can when all of the food is ejected, and a rubber washer 42 on each rod 19 below handle 22 will engage the bar l5 to support the rod and disk in said position, and to prevent unnecessary noise and wear if the plunger should suddenly drop to its lowermost position;

The cover of the deviceis releasably held in positively locked position over the door actuating mechanism by latches 43 (Fig. 6) carried on cover sides 2, which sides also carry outwardly projecting handles M on their outer sides, and the partition 6 is recessed at 45 for receiving the latches. When the handles 54 are grasped and the sides 2 forced slightly inwardly toward each other the latches will disengage lugs 46 in the outer sides of recesses t5 and the cover may be readily lifted from the partition and removed from the device. Thus, when the cover is in position, the animal cannot possibly cause its removal by attempting to gain access to the food,

and since the latches 29, 29' positively hold the trap doors locked in position, the doors cannot be released, except by positive actuation of latches 29, 29, which latches are fully enclosed. Also, the sides of the cans or cylinders, and the doors 23, 23', together with the disks or plungers l9, substantially fully enclose the food against spoilage or excessive drying.

In operation, commencing with the loading of the device, the operator first removes the cover,

and then raises the plungers lit by handles 22 to their full height, carrying bar l5 upwardly until the ends of the bar engage nuts I l. The cans I I, from which opposite ends have been removed, or the cylinders l2, with food therein, are then readily inserted in position on shoulders ill that are around opening 9. Since the upper ends of lugs 26, 26' are rounded, the outer ends of latches 29, 29' automatically slide over said ends and into the slots 28, 28' upon swinging the doors upwardly to closed position below the food .in the cans. The plungers are thereafter released and disks 59' will rest on the food within the cans, ready to push the food out of the lower ends of the cans as soon as the doors drop.

If the motor 4| is of the spring type, it is then wound by a key 41 and block 34 is moved next to the motor in thread engaging position relative to shaft 31, upon which the motor commences to move the block along shaft 31 to actuate latches 29, 29' at about twenty-four hour intervals. The cover is then replaced in locked position on partition 4 and nothing further is required.

if one feeding only is desired, only. the first can is filled with food, and any desired amount of food may be placed in one or both cans. The initial positioning of block 34 on the shaft will determine the time of the first or only feeding, as the case may be, since if it is midway between latch 29 and the extreme end position, the feeding will occur in 12 hours; No object is accomplished by varying the second feeding, since the proper time is twenty-four hours after the first feeding, but obviously the outer end of latch 29' may be extended or shortened to vary the time of said feeding.

The only parts of my device in engagement with the food are disks or plungers [9, theremovable cans or cylinders, the edges of openings 9 and the trap doors and pan 8, all .of which parts are simple, smooth andtherefore readily cleaned. If desired, the operator may remove the plungers from thedevice by merely removing nuts l1.

Since the pI-ungers l9 are never exposed, and since the trap doors 23, 23 merely fall by gravity, the animal cannot possibly be injured by any of the moving parts, and the action of the weight ed plungers is positive, thus the only possible failure in the operation of the device is the total failure of motor ll to function. Under all conditions, I have found a spring motor to be most reliable, since it is not susceptible to ,failure through current interruptions and has far more than suiiicient power toactuate the latches.

Having described my invention, I claim:

The method of dispensing hermetically sealed, canned dog food for consumption that comprises the steps of removing opposite ends of the can thatcontains the food, then positioning the food between movable surfaces covering the exposed food at opposite ends of the can while supporting the food between said surfaces by the sides of the can and thereafter and at a predetermined time after removal of said ends, moving one of said movable surfaces away from the food at one of said ends of the can and moving the other surface axially through the can to thereby eject the food out of the open end from which said one ofthe movable surfaces has been removed. ALBERTA A. MACDONELL. 

